Liquid level control



April 23, 1946. -J. E. cociK LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL Filed Oct. 30, 1944 few 6 INVENTOR. M 'fifiwfw A 7'TOE/VEY/4 Patented Apr. 23, 1946 LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL Jay E. Cook, Los Angeles', Calif.

Application October 30, 1944, Serial No. 560,959

Claims. ,(cl. 4-9- 206) My invention relates to an overflow attachment for bath-tubs. By the use of this attachment, which is easily installed in place of the existing overfiow'strainer, the, water in the tub can be safely filled to a level from three to five inches above the level permitted by the usual overflow outlet.

The proper use of my invention will also enable the householder to economize on the water used for deep. tub baths. It is common experience to fill the tub so close to the overflow level, that several gallons of the water displaced by the body, when the person bathing enters the tub, runs out of the overflow. Since asubstantial portion of the water so' lost is hot water, my invention will either save both the water lostand the cost of heating the hot water lost, or it will enable the person bathing to obtain the benefit of both.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide an improved overflow attachment which is easy to install, inexpensive to manufacture, economical in use, and adjustable to permit different water levels to be maintained in the tub.

. Other objects of my invention are to provide a simplified tubular form of overflow attachment which is attractive in appearance, and is made up of only three parts or less.

An additional object of my invention is to provide an overflow device having overlapping wall portions each provided with drainage openings which can either be moved into register to permit drainage at their particular levels of registration, or can be moved out of register when it is desired to raise the level of the tub water.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and 'arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description -merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In its preferred form, my overflow attachment comprises a hollow base portion Ill, an outwardly and upwardly extending tubular portion 20, and an overlapping closure strip or ring 39, carried by said tubular portion 20. Said base portion I0 is designed to be secured overthe conventional overflow outlet l2 of a bathtub It.

The holes l5 in the base portion I0 accommodate fastening screws l6, which are employed to-fasten my present device in place. i

A reasonably watertight joint must be provided where said base portion l9 contacts the surface of tub l4, and between each screw l 6 and hole I5. A gasket (not shown), or other suitable sealing material will usually be required to insure a water-tight joint between the base portion 18 and tub l4. Said base portion [0 is indented in the region surrounding holes [5, to provide a flat seat I! for the head of each screw l6. Washers (not shown), or other suitable sealing material may be used beneath the head of screws H1 or in holesl5. H

In Figs. 1 to 3, the outwardly and upwardly extending tubular portion 29 is integrally connected with base portion l9, and extends upwardly several inches above the bottom of said overflow outlet l2, for raising the water level in tub I 5 above the level usually permitted by the conventional outlet I 2. tub water obtained will vary with the size of the attachment used, thelocation of the drainage openings in the attachment, and the distance of the bottom of outlet 19 beneath the rim is of tub l4; but will generally average from three to five inches or more. The tubular portion 24 is straight and vertical, while the outwardly or horizontally extending portion 22 is curved upwardly to where it joins the vertical portion 24, and is flared outwardly where it joins base portion I ll.

Drainage openings 28 are provided in the top of tubular portion 24, while drainage openings 29 are located in an annular channel 25 intermediate the top and bottom of said attachment. Channel 26 receives the movable closure strip or ring 39 which is provided with drainageopenings 3| spaced to correspond with openings 29. Said openings 3| furnish agood finger hold for shifting strip 39 manually, to bringopenings 29 and 3| either into or out of register.

The bottom of channel 26, and closure member 30, may be regarded as relatively movable overlapping wall. portions provided with drainage openings 29 and 3!, respectively, which may be kept out of register, as shown in Fig. 3, when it is desired to raise the water level above said openings, or which may be brought into registry'when it is desired to keep the water level at their distance below rim IS. The highest water level is obtainable when openings 29 and 3| are shifted out of register, which allows the tub to fill up to The increase in depth of the the level of top openings 28. Although I have shown two rows of opening 29 and 3| and one strip 30, it is obviou their number and size may be varied to suit the unit volume of water they are required to drain away if the water is inadvertently left turned on. Moreover, the penings of each row may be arranged to close in sequence from bottom to top, to obtain further adjustability. This ma be accomplished by using sepa rate strips for di-fierent rows of openings or by. properly staggering thelopenings Uhderfoif lie strip;

My overflow attachment may be formed of any desired material such as metal, plastic or glass, Said closure strip or ring 30 may be made cori tinuous, as shown in Fig, 3, or split for ease'in'assembly and manipulation. Means, in addition to openings 3|, may be formed on said strip 30 to assist in said manipulation." 'Moreover, tubular portion 24 ma be made integral with outwardly,

extending portion 22, or fabricated separately,

depending upon the material from which it is made, and the equipment available for. fabrication.

As shown in Fig. l, the. vertical tubular portion 24 may be fabricated separately from the out- \vardly extending portion 22, and the parts are threaded, together at 23. Th ring 30 is clamped in adjusted position between the shoulder 21 forming the upper edge of the recess 25, and the top edge 32 of tubular. portion 22.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and-scope of invention. 1', therefore, do not wish to. restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modification that may fall within thescopeof the appended claims.

Havingthus. described 'my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An overflow attachmentfor bathtub com; prising a hollow base, portion; means for attachmg said base portion to a bathtub over. its overflow outlet; a vertical tubular portion extending, upwardly from said base portion 'a substantial st nce ab ve said ou et; d ain e penin s, in e top o and nt rme a e aid ubular p rt o said op nings b in lecat d'a sub tan ial i t n e. above the bottom .of said outlet; and rotatable ans o easin said' nte i iaie penings to obtain a still higher water level in said bathtub.

n ove flow a ta hmen f r ba htubs Q mwere a holler has? p r n means er a achn a ha wr te to a bathiebb r it ove flow et: a t b a bqd sr sediiis u wa dl m ai s?" rer en ub t nt a di tanc above sa d ut et; a er vi a d e iie e l ler qr e t r a n no Sa d bas Po n anddefining a circumferential rebess; dra n e opoifi n h i f a iibe e re iiee a d m the 'aianietr 'uy smaller portion thereof, a valveseated in the recess of said body and pro: vided panda sehsie tielfi s en above the bottom of said outlet; said valve being relatively movable for shifting openings thereon either into or out of register with the openings in the smaller portion of said body.

3. 'An overflow attachment for bathtub comprising a hollow base portion; means for attaching said base portion to a bathtub over its overflow outlet; a tubular portion extending upwardly from base portion a substantial distance above said putletand provided with a diametrally reduced part; drainage dpepifrigsl, in mer e of said tubular portion; additional drainage openings in the reduced part of said tubular portion located substantial distance below said top openings and abovethebpttom of said outlet; a perforated closu re strip within said reduced part of said tubular portiofioverlapping said additional openings and conforming to thecross sectional shape of said tubular portion in the overlapping area; said strip being'movable relatively to said tubular portion for shifting the openings eitherinto or, out of register with the openings. in said reduced part.

a ove fl w a i th ent for ba t s om: in a ho ow e erow. m a s o tta h: me s i ba e ort on a bat u W 1? its ve flow. outlet; a tubularportion extending outwardly and upwardly from said base portion; a vertical tubular portion threadedly. connected at itslower' end to the upper end "of said first 'namedtubular portion; a peripheral recess in one of the, adjacent. ends of 'one of said tubular portions, saidrefcess: cooperating with the "other adjacent end or the; other tubular ppr onj to arm per hera han,- e ia clos re str nset enamel ar n ed' e am ed in adi std'rds t en br' 'shouliie 9; a d eb ss ga n t. S id et r e ave t i and some? i fii s in' ai ir and in h b iibm of said ehanehsaid strip b irfg r'elatively'mdy'. able with respect to said channel foi adjustahly ing s'aid bpeniia'gseaher'mtd oroutbf registe mgpasiese.

an overflow attachment for bathtubs comprisinga'liollow base'fifie'arls for attaching said base to a bathtub'over its overflow outl'et'f said base having" an upstanding tubular portion entirely'removed froma'nd free of thewall'oi the bathtub and'provided with internal threads in the end thereof; a vertical tubular section'having openingsin the upper endth'ereof' and having a diametrally smaller part provided at the end thereof with external threads to engage the internal threads of said tubular portion; said diametrally smaller part having openings and providing a circumferential recess and defining a shoulder, an annular valve disposed in said recess and between said shoulder and the top of said tubular portion, said valve having openings and being relatively movable with respect to said smaller part of said tubular section for shifting said openings into and out of register with the openings in said smaller part oi said tubular section.

JAY oo K. 

